Accountability: Getting Personal

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Over the past weeks, I’ve been breaking down corporate culture. To be more specific, I’ve been breaking down my company’s culture. You see, we’re not all that different from any other company. Our culture and each person who is part of our organization truly align. It’s not about some slick language that we threw together on our website, some PowerPoint slides and a few signs around the office. Our culture reflects our core values and, is essentially who we are. Click on the titles below for a quick link back to the previous articles on culture.

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.“ – Moliere

What does the word accountability mean to you?

Take initiative and accept responsibility for ensuring our work adds value to the organization

I love the last part of that sentence. Does your work add value to the organization? Like I mentioned in We Work With Passion, what you’re doing does matter. If you don’t know why you’re compiling that report or creating that spreadsheet, take some time and ask your supervisor why it’s necessary. “Just because” isn’t a good answer. Don’t settle for that. Know that your work does add value to the organization. If it isn’t, re-evaluate what you’re doing. You may need to be more innovative or scrap the process altogether. Take initiative. Accept responsibility for your work. Add value.

Committed to excellence and the continual development of our professional capabilities

Change is the only constant. Be committed to your own excellence. Be the best you can be. Keep up with change and get ahead of the curve. You owe it to yourself! What if Steve Jobs thought the first Macintosh computer (remember, the ones with the green screen? I may be dating myself here…) was as good as it got? Sure, that worked in the 80’s and early 90’s, but that technology would have been surpassed by another company soon. Instead, Apple has reinvented itself, created innovated and relevant products (and a culture of their own) and continues to stay out in front of change – in fact, they’re leading the charge! Continue to develop yourself professionally. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating.

Honor our work and meet commitments

Do what you say you’re going to do it when you say you’ll do it. Period. You’d think this was a given, but in today’s world, deadlines sometimes make a “whooshing” sound as they fly by. In fact, we’re used to deadlines being broken. When was the last time the cable guy showed up when they said they would? You know what I’m talking about (not just about cable guys – they have a bad rap, but it’s more than just their profession). You scheduled an appointment for them to come to your house between the hours of noon and 5pm. You figure, “hey – I can still keep my dinner plans.” You’re banking on the fact that they will honor their word and meet their commitments. What happens most of the time? You take the afternoon off work, patiently waiting between the hours of noon and 5pm only to receive a phone call (if you’re lucky) at 4:55pm confirming that they’re on their way for your installation. Seems outrageous, right? Honor your word. Meet your commitments. Just do it. You’ll go a lot farther in life and in your career by doing this!

Always do what is right, even with it is difficult

Sometimes this is easier said than actually done. The right thing is always the right thing to do. It’s hardly ever the easiest at first glance, but in hindsight you’ll be glad. Integrity is the lesson here. Do what your gut tells you. If you have some serious red flags pop up, seek advice from your peers, family or supervisor. Ask them what they would do in the situation. You’ll be able to make a better decision in the end.

What do you think? Did I miss something? Leave a comment below. I promise, if you leave a comment, I reply. There are no bots for auto responses here. 🙂 Next week, I’m taking a break from talking about culture to bring you a very special post. It’s a pop culture and a little magic in the making, but I assure you, you’ll enjoy it. Until then, thanks for reading. Please pass this (or any of the other articles that are relevant) along to a friend. Pay it forward. Thank you!!